5 Comments:

Rabbi Abrham Twerski says his mother had a custom, based on the B"ShT to serve farfel on Friday night to be merameiz to the fact theat the week was done with and gone, and that one should let go of that which was over (not failed) - ferfallen.

You say "farfallen" when something is lost or failed. It's like saying, "Oh well, too bad." That which has passed is "fargangen." For example, "der fargangener yohren" means "the time [lit. years] that have passed."

I do think Rebetzin Twersky meant "farfallen." The pun with farfel is obviously much better, and also it's an indication that the past week is gone and cannot be retrieved and so it's time to start thinking about the upcoming week. "Fargangen" just means it's past and would have a very neutral connotation and wouldn't compel anyone to eat farfel.

Of course, the pun works only with farfallen. I'm commenting on the word's usual meaning. I actually noticed the pun to farfel my first reading, but I assumed it was just a coincidence, not knowing about the custom of the Besht.